Greenhouse effect Fuels based on vegetable oil are carbon neutral. This means that the plants absorb about as much CO2 from the atmosphere as is being emitted during combustion. In this way, biodiesel and bio-ethanol provide a sustainable contribution to combatting climate change. Production In agriculture, care should always be taken to avoid negative side-effects, such as destruction of tropical forests, exhaustion of soils, use of harmful pesticides or competition with food supply. Diligent tries to avoid these effects as much as possible, hence the choice for the Jatropha plant and bio-ethanol from Colombia Jatropha can grow on marginal soils unsuitable for other crops. Jatropha is also inedible. Therefore, there is no direct or indirect competition with food supply. Jatropha is poisonous so that it is not eaten by goats or insects. Consequently, harmful pesticides are not required The bio-ethanol of Colombia is made out of organic wastes (from coffee). This is thus a form of recycling. Second generation The biofuels of Diligent have a positive energy balance. They supply much more energy than it costs to produce them. Diligent therefore wants receive the title of 'second generation biofuel' for its products, which is a general description for an, as yet to define, group of promising types of biofuel